China Says Major Differences Remain After US Textile Negotiations; Further Talks Planned

China's Commerce Ministry says major differences remain between Beijing and Washington over textile exports after two days of talks on the issue in San Francisco, California earlier this week.

A statement Thursday on the ministry's website said Chinese officials are hopeful future talks will yield an agreement.

The meetings focused on U.S. limits on Chinese imports intended to protect American clothing manufacturers from low-cost competition. Chinese products flooded the market this year after global trade quotas expired.

U.S. textile manufacturers complain they have lost 26,000 jobs to cheap Chinese imports.

But American retailers argue that sharp limits on low-cost imports could cost U.S. consumers $6 billion in higher clothing bills annually. That works out to about $20 a person in the United States.